


Maybe You Don't Have to Rush

by dear_chaton



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bedsharing, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Galra Keith (Voltron), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, M/M, Pidge is a little shit, Pining Keith (Voltron), Season 2 spoilers, broganes, late night dancing while half asleep, pining boys and their dumb feelings, season 2 complaint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 04:53:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11306079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dear_chaton/pseuds/dear_chaton
Summary: Or the one where it's totally fine to sleep over in your teammates' room every night... right?





	Maybe You Don't Have to Rush

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Toothbrush by Dnce
> 
> This was therapy for me when work got too rough but oh look what a surprise, over 3k of pure fluffy bedsharing, but I'm not sorry. Thank you to Loki and Jake for looking this over for me.
> 
> And as always, I hope you enjoy!

It’s just a one night thing, that’s all this will be. Just a one-time thing, and then everything will go back to normal... at least that's what Keith told himself. It was just a fluke. One night of weakness, of feeling himself burning from the inside out, finding that his skin had taken on a purple hue and his hearing had elevated. 

 

And sure, screaming into the night wasn't really the best thing he could have done… but then again, when did he ever stop to think things through before acting? So, he wasn't actually all that surprised to hear a knock on his door after he’d calmed himself down.

 

❝Keith!❞ It was Lance, which wasn't really out of the ordinary, they did live right next to each other, with Keith at the end of the corridor. 

 

❝I'm fine, just fine.❞ He had called back through the door, but with the telltale click of the door opening, Keith stills. He wills the purple of his skin to disappear, but it's not enough, as Lance strolls inside his room, the door silently sliding shut behind him. 

 

Keith considers himself lucky, given the somewhat dark state of his room; after all, the castle should recognise that it is roughly 2 in the morning back on Earth. Unlike most nights like these though, Keith's newfound night vision gave him a front row seat to Lance's reaction.

 

❝Keith, I can't see you, buddy.❞

 

❝Well, maybe I like it that way.❞ 

 

Lance sighs, rubbing his temples before attempting to walk towards him, only bumping into the wall once before taking a seat on the bed next to him. ❝Could you maybe not?❞

 

❝I didn't even do anything,❞ Keith huffs.

 

❝Fine. No, that's completely fine. Don't tell me what's wrong, you jerk.❞ And yet Lance made no attempt to move, despite his miffed tone.

 

❝I didn't ask for you to check up on me.❞

 

❝No shit, but we're a team, and you're not the only one who misses Shiro, alright? The whole universe doesn't revolve around you, Mullet.❞ Keith opens his mouth to argue, but a hand had found its way to his face, gently covering his mouth before he could let out a sound.

 

❝And you need to stop the self-doubt stuff, alright? That's my job.❞ 

 

It was still dark, and his night vision was slowly fading. Soon, he could barely see the outline of Lance's face.

 

❝Hey. Are you going to be okay, for the rest of the night?❞ No, he thought otherwise. But, of course, Keith would never admit that to Lance, of all people. Still, he really couldn't help it when he let his head fall softly on his teammates' shoulder, to shield his face.

 

❝I'm going to take that as a no.❞

 

❝Shut up, please.❞ The two paladins just sit there, for who knows how long, before soft hands are suddenly cradling his face, and Keith glances up. Lance makes a noise, maybe trying to speak, or maybe trying to keep quiet like Keith had asked of him. Regardless of its meaning, Lance’s fingers started to card through his hair, deliberately feeling his ears and across his jaw line.

 

Lance knew what had happened, even if Keith hadn’t said it.

 

❝Come on, up.❞ And when Keith didn't move, he felt the other poke his side. Involuntarily, a high squeal escapes his lips, causing his face to flush in mortification. Lance takes this in stride, digging his fingers into Keith’s hips, a barely-concealed grin spreading across his face, and Keith shouts as Lance’s fingers prod at him mercilessly.

 

❝No! What the hell?❞ Keith can’t keep the laughter in any longer, twisting his body out of Lance's grasp, and racing out the door to escape his grasp. But despite maybe having had a bit of a head start, Lance does, admittedly, still have longer legs than he does. All too quickly he’s caught, and thrown unceremoniously over Lance’s shoulder and lanky frame.

 

❝Now that's over with; you're coming with me,❞ Lance grumbles, the slightest trace of laughter still in his voice. Keith isn’t sure how Lance had done it, but the blue paladin had someone made him forget about his troubles, and have a little fun, for the first time in a long while.

 

* * *

 

They’d ended up playing twenty questions per Lance's request, and no matter how simple the idea was, the blue paladin could be very persuasive. Plus, Keith's hearing was still sensitive, and, honestly speaking, Lance's voice was doing terrible things to his heart.

 

❝Favorite color?❞ The questions are simple, so much so that Keith doesn’t have to give much thought before answering with a quick, ❝Blue.❞

 

❝Oh, nice! Same for me. Favorite season?❞

 

And back and forth it goes, until one of them is letting out a yawn, rubbing at their eyes as they stare blearily at the other. 

 

Keith makes a move to get up and back to his room but Lance, who’s already sprawled out on the bed, pulls on his shirt until Keith is laying next to him.

 

❝It's too late, just stay with me,❞ He whispers between yawns, moving slightly to strip himself of his shirt,  but otherwise staying where he is. Keith pulls off his shirt, allowing the chilly air of the room to cool down his heated skin.

 

❝I swear if you cuddle me, I will rip your arm off,❞ Keith grumbled.

 

Lance only answered with a little mumble as his breathing evened out.

 

* * *

 

The next morning was too eventful for even his taste. It was breakfast and being the early riser he was, Keith was already at the table serving himself.

 

Of all the things that happen in his mornings, he wasn't expecting to see Pidge up and about. His firm belief is that they just ran on off of caffeine, and therefore never slept. That theory has yet to be disproved. The little paladin was tinkering on something as Keith sat down and proceeded to taste the food goo, all in hopes that it would be even a little bit different than the last thousand times he's had it.

 

It was the same bland taste. Keith had begun to miss the canned foods he had stashed in the shack. He was so out of it that he didn't hear them talking until they nudged his shoulder. He looked at them expectedly, eyebrows raised in confusion.

 

❝Isn't that Lance's shirt?❞ Keith stopped shoving food goo into his mouth to look at Pidge dumbly. He's not given a chance to respond before they get this wicked glint in their eye.

 

❝Wait, are you two fucking?❞

 

❝Pidge!❞ The little gremlin continues to smirk deviously, even when Keith glares at them. Pidge doesn't seem to mind in the slightest.

 

❝No,❞ He mumbles, appetite not nearly as mighty as it was a couple of moments ago.

 

❝You never answered my question,❞ Pidge points out, and it takes all of his willpower not to roll his eyes as he packs his stuff up, ignoring Pidge as he leaves.

 

It wasn't for the excuse of seeing Lance again to return his shirt.

 

He hadn't seen him that morning, just rushed out before he could have seen him. And maybe that had included shoving on the closest clothes he could reach, before getting too frustrated and running back to his room in only Lance's shirt and his boxers.

 

Wasn't one of his finest moments to date.

 

* * *

 

By the fifth or sixth time of staying the night, Lance wakes before he does. Keith was not prepared to wake up with that face staring down at him like he grew a second head.

 

Or turned Galra.

 

Keith sits up so fast he gets whiplash and bonks heads with Lance.

 

❝Whoa, too early for panicking. Calm down.❞ Keith doesn't answer, and in turn decidedly flops back onto the bed to chase the last bit of sleep he felt.

 

❝Glad I caught you, I've meant to ask you something.❞ There's shuffling, and Keith turns his head to look up at Lance who was fiddling with a thread on his jacket.

 

❝If you want to keep sleeping here, you can just leave your stuff here. So you don't have to rush out in the morning. I mean if you want to move you can just,❞ Lance huffed, rubbing a hand through his horrible bed head, which caused Keith to smile softly.

 

❝What are you smiling about Mullet?❞

 

❝Yeah, that's fine. I do have to leave to get said stuff though.❞

 

❝Oh, yeah. No, I meant tonight.❞ Lance does end up leaving for breakfast while Keith lays there for a moment, wondering how he got himself into this.

 

And why wasn't he as against it as he thought he would be? Perhaps that was a mystery for another day.

 

* * *

 

Another sleepless night came and went, Keith staring up at the ceiling while Lance slept on peacefully. For an insomniac, Lance sure did sleep a lot more than he did. But tonight he was on edge, so his restless body shuffled out of bed as softly as he could and tiptoed to the restroom.

 

Dark bags settled under his eyes like they had been there his whole life. In a way, they had been, but all he wanted was to sleep and forget about everything that had happened.

 

Lance could be a light sleeper when he wanted to be, so it was no surprise that a couple of minutes later the Cuban padded into the bathroom, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

 

❝Can't sleep.❞ Keith murmured, staring himself down in the mirror.  _ As if this could change anything _ , he thought bitterly to himself.

 

❝Hmm,❞ A bony hand gripped his wrist, and Keith found himself swaying with Lance in the dimly lit bathroom.

 

❝What are we-❞ Lance shushed him, linking their hands together as they swayed to the humming of the ship.

 

❝Used to dance with my siblings if they had a nightmare. Could work with insomnia too.❞

 

And even if Keith lost his head, Lance was there to keep it on straight. He could feel the rhythm of his heart beating through his chest, their hips bumping together a couple of times before Keith got the groove of it.

 

❝You should be sleeping, Lance.❞

 

❝Where’s the fun in that when you're not in bed with me?❞

 

Lance set his soul ablaze, and what used to be an unbreathable chokehold on him had melted into something else.

 

He couldn't quite name it just yet.

 

* * *

 

❝You just can't hug me from behind like that!❞ Keith stomped off, clutching his towel around his waist tightly as Lance laughed behind him. They had just completed a messy mission, no one being spared from the dirt and mud that they seemed to attract. Showering was the only thing on Keith's mind.

 

Lance obviously had other plans when he proceeded to hug Keith from behind, his hands slipping up his chest, and his face resting on his neck while Keith had mentally panicked.

 

❝Why?❞ The Cuban had whispered, hugging tighter and nudging his nose along the base of Keith's neck. ❝Does it make you too excited?❞

 

He almost turned around, almost rose to the bait when the others walked into the locker room. That's when Keith stormed off, ignoring the look on Lance's face and definitely at the thought of what he was trying to imply.

 

No, he shook his head, it was just another case of Lance's harmless flirting. But why was Keith the target now? Normally it was an alien babe, and when the blue paladin did flirt with the others on the team, it was long and drawn out 'bros' to Hunk.

 

That didn't stop the flutter in his stomach.

 

* * *

 

Keith found himself waking up to Lance bustling about the room one day. He wasn't allowed the chance to lay there with his legs tangled with Lance's that day. He was stuck in a dazed limo, watching his teammate throw on mismatched clothes, feet bare and bolted to the bathroom.

 

He heard Lance's shriek of surprise - the idiot shouldn't have gone to the bathroom with bare feet like he always did in the morning. Keith laughs despite himself and finds himself getting out of the bed to stretch.

 

❝And he lives! The great and fierce Red Paladin conquers unconsciousness.❞ Lance walked out of the bathroom with his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth while he grabbed socks.

 

❝I thought we had a day off?❞

 

❝We do, but we're landing on Bolylan to get supplies.❞

 

❝And you just have to look your best for the aliens that could be ogled over.❞

 

❝Exactly!❞ Lance points his toothbrush in the direction of Keith, foam flying, and landing in inconvenient places. One being Keith's cheek.

 

❝Gross man, keep your spit to yourself.❞

 

❝Excuse me? Who drools on me every morning, and who doesn't complain?❞ Okay, even Keith had the decency to feel embarrassed. He's never slept well enough to pass out like when he was with Lance, not completely.

 

❝Sorry.❞

 

❝It's fine. So you up for an adventure?❞

 

* * *

 

The planet of Bolylan is plentiful of grape-like fruit and makes great grape flavored things and can even turn its local fruit into gas for all your castle needs. Or that's what Hunk said before he and Pidge ran off in the direction of the market.

 

Lance and Keith were in their suits but it wasn't necessary, the locals were as harmless as the Arusians.

 

They had taken a liking to Keith just as the snail-like aliens they first met.

 

Lance wasn't salty… he was just upset that Hunk went exploring without him.

 

Lance was salty.

 

Keith was having way too much teasing him, and if it went as far as a friendly race to the market between them, Keith certainly didn't let Lance win.

 

No matter how worth it to see that smile on that face of his.

 

Keith would never admit to such thoughts.

 

* * *

 

They got into one of those petty fights, this time it was neither his or Lance's fault, but at a bar later on that night. Allura should have never said yes to them if this was going to be the outcome.

 

Lance had taken the flirting too far, and some guy was all up in his face. It took a lot of willpower not to deck the guy right then and there.

 

❝I don't know why you bother with this one,❞ The man nodded to Lance, apparently talking to him. Something snapped in him. He punched the alien, starting a bar fight of a scale that Shiro would not be proud of, and ended up in the infirmary with a black eye.

 

❝You're an idiot, but thanks.❞ Lance had held an Altean ice pack to the eye, while Coran assessed him. The two of them were forbidden to leave the castle for the rest of the time they were docked on the planet, but it was worth it.

 

Seeing Lance happy was worth it.

 

* * *

 

It was getting harder to deny the feelings he had. Keith had somehow fallen for Lance through the past couple of months.

 

The latter had caught onto him, but not precisely pinpointing what was causing him to be so restless.

 

❝You'll feel better in the morning - c’mon I'm tired.❞ Lance ushered him under the covers, and Keith swears he tried his best to keep his distance, but that didn't stop him from finding himself spooning Lance the next morning.

 

❝Who knew you could backpack me like a child,❞ Lance mumbled sleepily.

 

That got him a pillow to the face while Keith's ears burned uncomfortably.

 

* * *

 

❝You know if you hate me then you should just leave,❞ Lance mumbled into the pillow, in response to Keith refusing to look at the offending face that got him into this mess. He had been avoiding him during the day, but at night Keith still came to sleep in his room.

 

Very contradictory considering his inner voice is yelling at him to just tell Lance and face the rejection head-on.

 

❝Then why keep inviting me.❞

 

❝You need the distraction,❞ He wasn't going to look at Lance, or else he was going to do something stupid. He gave a hum in response but otherwise stayed quiet.

 

❝You still have something on your mind.❞ He opened his mouth to speak, but Lance beat him to it.

 

❝If you need to talk, I'm here for you; but if you want to keep it to yourself, you can do that too. Just don't avoid me.❞

 

❝I'm not avoiding you.❞

 

❝Tell that to Pidge, they have security footage of you avoiding me.❞

 

❝What, you're using their hacking skills for your personal enjoyment?❞

 

❝No,  just wanted to make sure you were safe.❞

 

Keith's breath hitched, and suddenly he felt hot all over.

 

❝Goodnight Keith,❞ Lance whispered, dangerously close to his ear. His arm is over his stomach. Neither of them had ever initiated a cuddle while they were both still conscious. 

 

Keith was going to die.

 

* * *

 

Morning came and went, taking Keith’s sanity with it.

 

And apparently, it was the most obvious thing to everyone except for Lance. Keith had several talks with Hunk, who had gone into the conversation with high hopes. More often than not, it had ended with the blunt question of if he had done something about his hopeless pining.

 

But he was at a crossroad. Lance acted as though he liked him, but it could just as easily be Keith imagining things. And sure, he could always tell him that he wanted him, face the probable rejection, but the team would likely suffer.

 

He stopped in his tracks. Something like this could very well affect the team. He was the leader now, the head of Voltron; how could he be so stupid, and let feelings get in the way of defending the universe? He still had to find Shiro and bring back Matt and Sam Holt for Pidge, maybe even reunite Hunk and Shay and get Lance back to his family.

 

Keith was so screwed.

 

* * *

 

He didn't show up to Lance's room that night. Or the night after, or the next night. He was going to get back into the routine of sleeping alone. No matter how much his heart ached not to have Lance's warm body next to his.

 

Or the way Lance looked when he first woke up: ridiculous bed head and all. His heart certainly didn't drop the one time Lance, and he stayed in bed all day, both choosing to ignore the outside world in favor of just being in each others company.

 

He worked the team into the ground with new training exercises. Anything to exhaust him enough to pass out after a day of being a paladin.

 

It was very short lived though.

 

Lance cornered him on the fourth day of avoiding his room.

 

❝I thought you weren't going to avoid me anymore.❞ Keith's mouth felt like sandpaper.

 

❝Things change.❞

 

❝Nope. No, not going to happen, not this time.❞ And the red paladin found himself being dragged to Lance's room, to be sat on the bed while Lance paced.

 

❝Is it something I did?❞ A nod.

 

❝Was it bad?❞ A pause, but a shake of his head.

 

❝Will you tell me?❞ Silence had met him, followed by a question.

 

❝Could you trust me to try to fix it?❞

 

❝I'm scared.❞ At the sound of his voice, Lance crouched down in front of him.

 

❝Scared of what? You’re going to have to give me some details bud.❞

 

❝Of what you'll think or how it will affect the team.❞

 

❝Okay, first off I'm offended that it even occurred to you that I would think any differently about you. And secondly, how do you know it will affect the team? Did Shiro come to you in a dream and tell you off?❞ Lance's weak attempt to get him to laugh worked, although it caused a couple of tears to slip out.

 

❝Hey, Keith, it's okay. Don't cry, please. We don't have to fix it overnight,❞ Keith nodded, and allowed himself to change and slip under the covers.

 

In the morning he was going to tell Lance.

 

* * *

 

His tongue was tied just looking at Lance, who in turn stared back at him. But he made a promise to himself, and fuck it if he wasn't going to go through with it.

 

❝Close your eyes.❞ He was a chicken; Keith knew he was, so he waited for Lance to close his eyes.

 

❝Is this a game?❞ Keith didn't answer him, he just cupped his cheeks for a moment before catching Lance's lips with his own.

 

Their teeth clashed awkwardly, and there was too much saliva, but he had done it. He had finally done it. As Keith pulled away, Lance's eyes fluttered open, and his mouth dropped open to gape at him.

 

And then before he could even process it, he was shoved down onto the bed, and a warm body on top of him meant one thing. Lance had surged forward to return the kiss, which Keith happily accepted.

 

Time slowed to nearly a stop, and neither of them could've begun to guess how long had passed by the time they separated; both of them breathless, smiling so widely it started to hurt.

 

❝So will you stay?❞

 

Keith agreed, laughing harder and more relaxed than he had felt in a while.

 

* * *

 

 

Sleep came easy that night -- sneaking out to head to breakfast with his new boyfriend was another story.

 

❝I knew you were fucking, but congrats,❞ Pidge commented, earning a flick to the head by Lance. Both otherwise welcomed the congratulations from the team, breathing easy when no objections arose.

 

❝At least we don't need to keep it so hush-hush anymore.❞ Lance wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, while everyone around them collectively groaned. 

 

❝I guess I can keep my toothbrush at your place already.❞ And if Lance murmured something about Keith being the death of him, he just grabbed his hand under the table, content as could be.

**Author's Note:**

> Deleted scene(s) that never quite fit into the story;;
> 
> Hunk; So I hear rumors that you're sleeping with Lance. Now as his best friend and best man at his wedding I need to let you know that if you hurt him I will break you
> 
> Keith; Noted, but I'm just sleeping with him
> 
> Hunk; I said he was my best friend I don't need to know every detail about his love life
> 
> Keith; sounds fake but it's just sleep
> 
> At that moment Keith realized his words meaning while Hunk vowed to protect Keith's innocence as long as possible.
> 
> From my mind to the computer keys to your eyes to read, I'm Kiwi xx


End file.
